Guidance

Request an expedite

Ask HM Land Registry to fast track your application.

• From: HM Land Registry
• Published: 17 February 2021
• Last updated: 5 July 2023 — See all updates

Applies to England and Wales

An expedite is a fast-track process for residential and commercial applications.

If it is approved and there are no outstanding applications or requests for information (requisition), we aim to process an expedited application in 10 working days.

Where further information is required to proceed, we ask that customers respond quickly to ensure we can complete the application.

Eligibility criteria

You can apply to expedite an application if the delay would:

• cause legal, financial, or personal problems not related to a land transaction
• put a property transaction at risk, for example, a refinancing deal or development.

We will not expedite an application:

• already in progress
• to search the register, including searches of the index map

Evidence needed to support the request

We cannot consider any request without supporting evidence.

Examples of evidence we accept include:

• a copy of the sale or purchase contract
• a mortgage offer letter confirming the offer expiry date
• confirmation that a planned transaction is dependent on the application you want expedited
• an explanation of financial or personal problems that shows the need for an expedite

We accept redacted documents if they clearly show why you are asking us to expedite your application.

How to apply

The request should be sent by one of the following:

• the buyer
• the seller
• the organisation that submitted the application

Submit each request against a single title number and HM Land Registry reference. This lets us pair your request with the application more efficiently.

If you are a legal professional

Conveyancers and legal professionals with a Portal account should use Application Enquiry.

1. In Application Enquiry, select ‘Still need to contact us?’
2. Fill in the appropriate contact details and select the ‘Request an expedite’ option.
3. Select the reason for expedite to complete the request.

You cannot request an expedite using reply to requisition.

If you did not use a legal professional, or are a legal professional without a portal account

If you have not used a conveyancer or solicitor, or do not have a portal account, use the contact form.

1. Select ‘Member of the public’ or ‘Business Customer’, as appropriate
2. Select ‘An application in progress or completed’
3. Select the required transaction type, for example ‘Application to update the register’
4. Select ‘I want to expedite my application’
5. Enter your details and evidence

Published 17 February 2021
Last updated 5 July 2023 + show all updates

1. 5 July 2023

   We have updated our guidance on applying for an expedite to clarify that, if a delay in registration is causing legal, financial or personal problems, our criteria for expedition are met.

2. 10 June 2021

   We have made clear we accept redacted documents that contain commercially sensitive information as evidence.

3. 28 May 2021

   Added a link to our application processing times.

4. 1 April 2021

   We have updated our guidance to clarify that the expedite (fast-track) process is available for residential and commercial applications, and where any kind of property transaction is at risk.

5. 17 February 2021

   Added translation